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39.91% Fairy Tail: Metal and Threads / Chapter 274: The King'sCourt

章節 274: The King'sCourt

Edolas, Edolas Continent, Royal Capital.

November, x784.

While Elicia, Erza, Marin, and Lucy were searching the Royal Castle, King Faust, along with his captains and chief of staff were meeting in the throne room.

"Has there been any news about the intruders?" King Faust asked in an authoritative tone.

"Unfortunately, over the last two days, we have seen neither hide nor hair of the intruders, Your Majesty." The Chief of Staff, Byro, replied with is head lowered.

Byro was an extremely short, elderly man with a strangely shape nose and large eyes. Other than his horn-shaped eyebrows and the two tufts of hair on the side of his face, he was completely bald with liver spots on his forehead and the sides of his head. Due to his small stature, most of his body is covered by the wide-collared cape he wears with a simple dark colored robe underneath.

"Still, it's pretty amazing that they were able to escape from you, Captain Knightwalker." The Captain of the Third Magic War Division, Hughes, said playfully as his glance flicked in the Edolas Erza's direction. "Have you perhaps lost your touch?"

*Bang!*

"Why don't you follow me to the training ground and find out." The Edolas Erza said angrily as she slammed the butt of her spear into the floor.

"No thanks." Hughes replied with a smile as he waved off the Edolas Erza's words. "But a rain check would be amazing, though."

Hughes was a young man with strange, clock hand-shaped eyebrows and dark purple hair with a single, thick, white lock located on the front-right of his head. Wearing a white uniform with gold trim and a dark green shirt with olive green crisscrossing lines, he exuded a carefree, playful, vibe.

Understanding that now, especially in front of her king, was not the time to make Hughes regret his words, Erza Knightwalker took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. Then, she turned towards Faust with a solemn expression on her face.

"Your Majesty, who were those people who intruded into the Royal Capital?" The Edolas Erza asked respectfully. "I recognized both of their faces. Yet, they were definitely not the people I knew. While one of them should be dead, the other was completely different from the man I know."

"I assume you are referring to the man and woman who destroyed the lacrima in the plaza, correct." Faust asked, not surprised that his Second Division Captain would be curious about the people she confronted. "There was also the young woman who looked like you and the young lady who accompanied her."

"Indeed." The Edolas Erza replied with a nod.

"Before I answer your question, do you have any idea where the magic power we've been acquiring since the natural magic in our lands began to dissipate is coming from?" Faust asked while making brief eye contact with everyone in the room.

Seeing that everyone present, other than Byro, shook their heads in denial, Faust went on to tell them where the magic power was coming from and how it was being obtained. Still, even after hearing the king's explanation, none of them felt there was anything wrong with what the king was doing.

Except for the Captain of the First Magic War Division, Panther Lily, an Exceed taller than most humans with a muscular physique and a head reminiscent of a black panther's. He had a white snout and a scar running down across his left eye. While on his body, he wore a personalized armor with a long cape draped from his shoulders.

"My King." Panther Lily said, stepping forward after Faust finished his explanation. "Is this the right thing to do? Taking magic power from another world is one thing, but to take the lives of its people, unprovoked, where is the honor in that?"

*Swish!*

"Panther Lily, you dare question His Majesty?" The Edolas Erza asked in an enraged tone as she pointed her spear at Panther Lily's throat.

Though Erza Knightwalker's four bladed spear was almost touching his fur, Panther Lily's gaze did not shift away from Faust in the slightest, as eh continued to wait for his response.

Eventually, Faust raised his hand, signaling for Erza to lower her weapon. Then, once Erza had lowered her spear, while making eye contact with Panther Lily, the king answered his captain's question.

"You have to understand, Panther Lily." King Faust said in an even tone. "My first duty is to my people. Although it is regrettable what we must do to the people of that other world, should I forsake my own people for strangers we have no connection with?"

Although Panther Lily gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, he understood Faust's position on the matter. Though, he still didn't agree with the method used to secure magic for Edolas. Before he could retort, however, the sound of hurried , barefoot, footsteps could be heard approaching the throne room.

"Big news! Big news!" A small girl with a distinctively puppy-like appearance with a small nose and a headgear that made it look as if she had a pair of floppy ears shouted as she entered the throne room.

"Coco, calm down." Byro reprimanded. "You are in front of His Majesty."

Upon hearing Byro's voice, the small girl, Coco, came to a stop, the yellow dress she wore over a dark blue body suit that covered everything from her forearms to her calves, fluttering from the sudden stop. Then, she brought her bare feet together and raised one of her gloved hands before performing a salute to King Faust.

"My apologies, Your Majesty." Coco said in a hyperactive manner. "But I have something to report from the soldiers in the city."

"Proceed." Faust replied calmly.

"Yes, sir." Coco said with a nod. "Two of the people who interrupted the presentation of the lacrima fragment have appeared in the city. Currently, they are being pursued by soldiers of the Royal Army."

*Bang!*

"They've finally shown themselves. Was that woman among them?" The Edolas Erza said in a bloodthirsty tone as she, once again, slammed the butt of her spear against the floor of the throne room. "Your Majesty, I will bring them to you to receive punishment."

"Stand down, Knightwalker." Faust replied, not even looking in Erza's direction. "Coco, was there a description of the intruders?"

"Yes, sir." Coco replied. "One was a young man with spiky pink hair. The other was a young girl with long, straight, dark blue hair."

Hearing Coco's descriptions of the two who were being pursued, The Edolas Erza deflated a bit. However, she was still enthusiastic about catching them. If she did, she might be able to force that woman who looked like Elicia Phyllis out of hiding.

Meanwhile, Faust pondered what he had just heard from Coco. Then, he remembered the descriptions he heard from one of Queen Shagotte's prophecies.

"If I'm not mistaken, those two should be the dragon Slayers we've heard about." Faust said while stroking his beard. "The wizards from the other world with unlimited magic power."

"Who will you send after them, Your Majesty?" Byro asked calmly.

"Let the soldiers pursue them. If they were the only ones in the Royal Capital, I would send one of my captains for this." Faust replied. "But there are more of these vermin running around. And we don't know what they are planning to do, other than destroying the lacrima."

"A wise decision, Your Majesty." Byro said with a bow of his head.

"Knightwalker, Hughes, Sugarboy, the three of you shall stay here to protect the castle should they attack." Faust ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The Edolas Erza, Hughes, and Sugarboy, a tall, blue-eyed man with blond hair worn in a pompadour with long side burns and a well featured face with a very prominent cleft chin wearing a light red armor with gold trim and a bronze belt, replied in unison.

"Panther Lily." Faust continued after receiving the responses from the three captains.

"My King." Panther Lily replied while bowing his head respectfully.

"You are to go to the lacrima and guard it." Faust ordered. "The intruders cannot be allowed to do what they did to the lacrima in the plaza."

Although he was hesitant to follow the orders he was given, Panther Lily's loyalty to Edolas won over his honor. So, he stepped forward and thumped his fist on his chest plate as he replied.

"Understood."

"Now, go." Faust ordered before his four captains left the throne room.

A few moments later, only Faust, Byro, and Coco were left in the throne room.

"How dare he question my methods." Faust spat after he was sure that Panther Lily would not be able to hear him. "As a soldier of my army, all he need do is follow my orders."

"Your Majesty, please calm down." Byro said in a placating tone. "Soon, you won't have to worry about him."

"Then, you have completed it?" Faust asked, his eyes lighting up after hearing Byro's words.

"Indeed." Byro replied. "And this last use of the Anima was the proof. We now have the ability to turn those with magic power in their bodies into lacrima for later use."

"Excellent!" Faust said happily. "Well done, Byro. Now, those Exceed will no longer be able to lord themselves above us. Hmph! What gods. Soon, all of them will be no more than the power sources for our magic items."

While Faust and Byro wore excited expressions for finally becoming the dominant species on Edolas, Coco's expression turned into one filled with worry. Although she was the Assistant Chief of Staff and Byro's right hand, the person she was closest to in Edolas was Panther Lily. And hearing that her king and her direct superior were planning to kill her friend was more than she could take. Though, she did not do anything about it immediately, especially because the Captains of the Magic Ware Divisions were still nearby.

Meanwhile, the four War Division Captains, Panther Lily, Erza Knightwalker, Hughes, and Sugarboy strolled through the hall of the castle until they reached a large balcony. While the other three would continue down the hallway, Panther Lily turned towards the balcony. Then, using his [Aera Magic], he sprouted a large pair of white, feathered wings from his back.

"Panther Lily." The Edolas Erza said, stopping Panther Lily just before he could fly away from the castle.

Looking back, Panther Lily saw Erza once again pointing her spear at him from the hallway.

"Don't forget your station." The Edolas Erza said sternly. "His Majesty's orders are not to be questioned. You should remember that well."

"Besides, what His Majesty is doing can't be considered dishonorable, right?" Hughes asked with a smile. "I mean, those people from the other world would probably be overjoyed to know they are helping such an amazing cause, right?"

In response, Panther Lily merely shook his head before turning back towards the balcony and taking off in the direction of the floating landmass where the giant lacrima was being housed. And from his expression, it was clear to see that he did not take Erza's threat seriously. Nor did he agree with what Hughes had to say.

"Hmph!" Erza said, lowering her spear. "If he ever second guesses our king again, I'll cut him down myself."

"Now, now, there's no need to get so worked up, Captain Knightwalker." Hughes said with a smile.

"Indeed." Sugarboy said, speaking for the first time. "Though he may have spoken out of turn, Panther Lily's loyalty is unquestionable. There is no need to point your spear at him."

"We'll see." The Edolas Erza replied, glancing at Panther Lily one last time. "For now, we have our orders to follow. Let's go."

With that, Erza Knightwalker, Hughes, and Sugarboy ran off in different directions to make sure that the intruders had not infiltrated the castle. Unfortunately for them, they would have another problem to deal with less than half an hour later after Coco, who was concerned for her friend's well-being, stole the key that opened the doors to where the Anima was located.


創作者的想法
SixthSense1029 SixthSense1029

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Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy the story.

Comments, Reviews, and Power Stones are always appreciated.

章節 275: Erza Vs. Erza

Edolas, Edolas Continent, Royal Capital.

November, x784.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked as she and Erza snuck around the royal castle. Peaking her head around a corner and watching the soldiers run down the corridor, Lucy could not help but ask her next question with a confused expression on her face. "Why are there so many people running around the castle like that?"

"Perhaps Elicia and Marin have been discovered." Erza replied. A moment later, however, she shook her head as she continued. "No, I doubt there is anyone in this castle that can see through her [Camouflage Magic]."

"Then what's going on?" Lucy asked as she pulled her head back from around the corner.

As previously mentioned, Coco, the Assistant Chief of Staff of the Edolas Kingdom, had stolen the key that allowed entry to the room where the Anima device was located. After finding out about her deed, King Faust ordered for her to be captured and the key to be retrieved immediately.

Naturally, after hearing the king's orders, all the soldiers in the castle began to scramble, searching for Coco in every corner of the castle. Meanwhile, several platoons were stationed at the castle's entrances to stop her from escaping.

"That's not important for now." Erza said. "We need to find the device that pulled Magnolia into this world. But we need to be even more careful with so many people running around the castle so haphazardly."

"Right." Lucy replied with a nod.

Currently, Erza and Lucy were searching in one of the castle's towers. After somehow hiding from all the soldiers searching for Coco, they were ready to climb the stairs and search the tower's top floor before moving onto another area of the castle if they were unable to find anything.

*Boom!*

With Erza in the lead, the two girls left the spiral staircase leading to the top floor of the tower. Before they could leave the corridor and search the nearest room, however, the wall next to the door exploded towards them.

"Kya!" Lucy screamed as her throat was grabbed.

"Lucy!" Erza shouted after hearing Lucy's scream.

*Bang!*

[Requipping] a long sword into her hand, Erza watched the dust cloud that was created when the wall was destroyed. She did not move into the dust cloud to rescue Lucy, however. Besides knowing that she was still alive due to her [Magic Power Detection], she had no idea what had attacked her comrade due to the same reason.

"Well, well, well… If it isn't Lucy Ashley." A familiar female voice said as the dust began to settle.

"Who are you?" Erza asked aggressively. "And what have you done to Lucy."

When the dust finally settled, Erza could see that Lucy's back was pressed against the wall while she struggled to free herself from the hand that was wrapped around her neck. And that hand was connected to a woman who shared the same facial features and long crimson red hair as herself.

"No, you're not Lucy Ashely." The red haired woman, Erza Knightwalker, said while examining Lucy closely. "You must be from the other world. Even so, you wear the mark of those criminals, Fairy Tail. Which means you should be killed like the rest of them."

"Release her!" Erza shouted as she charged forward with her longsword raised.

"Not so fast." The Edolas Erza said, dragging Lucy in front of her.

Seeing Lucy in the path of her slash, Erza quickly stopped her forward charge.

"Such a disappointment." The Edolas Erza said while looking at Erza disdainfully. "To think someone with the same face as I would side with such traitorous filth."

"Ha!" Lucy wheezed out while clawing at the Edolas Erza's arm and hand. "Just because you… look alike… don't think… Erza is… anything like… you…"

"I can see that." The Edolas Erza said while glancing at Lucy. "She seems to care for you quite deeply. Why don't we put that to the test."

"What are you planning?" Erza asked with her sword ready to strike should her counterpart show an opening.

Instead of replying, the Edolas Erza swung the spear in her other hand at the wall she had previously been pressing Lucy against.

*Boom!*

With just a swing of her spear, The Edolas Erza was able to blow out the wall effortlessly. Then, with her hand still wrapped around Lucy's neck, she dragged the blonde girl to the opening in the wall and dangled her over the ground below.

"Since this girl seems to mean so much to you." The Edolas Erza said, putting on a sadistic smile as she spoke. "If you wish to save her, use that sword in your hand to end your own life. In return, I will let her live."

Hearing that, both Erza and Lucy opened their eyes wide in surprise.

"No… Erza… you can't…" Lucy wheezed out.

*Bang!*

*Crack!*

"Silence." The Edolas Erza ordered as she slammed the shaft of her spear into Lucy's ribs, cracking at least one of them with the strike.

"Don't hurt her!" Erza shouted as her hands tightened around her sword's hilt.

"If you want her to live through this, then you know what to do." The Edolas Erza said, smiling sadistically at Erza.

Meanwhile, Erza was contemplating the chances of rushing past her counterpart, [Requipping] into her [Black Wing Armor], and catching Lucy after Erza Knightwalker inevitably let her fall. Unfortunately, even though she knew that she outclassed her Edolas counterpart in strength, she was not arrogant enough to think that she could rush past her before Lucy fell to her death.

"Too slow." The Edolas Erza said, her smile growing wider as she saw the wheels in Erza's head spinning. "I guess she doesn't mean as much to you as I thought. Oh well… I guess you can say goodbye, then."

"No, don't!" Erza shouted.

Unbothered by Erza's shouting, the Edolas Erza loosened her grip on Lucy's neck. As a result, Lucy's eyes opened wide as she felt herself falling to the ground below.

"No! Lucy~~~~~!" Erza shouted as she was covered in a bright light. "[Requip: Black Wing Armor]."

A moment later, Erza, now wearing her [Black Wing Armor], vanished form where she stood in a burst of speed. Before she could reach the hole in the wall, however, the Edolas Erza stepped in front of her with her spear raised defensively.

"Her fate has been sealed." The Edolas Erza said while bracing herself. "There is nothing you can do to sae her now."

"Damn you, Knightwalker!" Erza shouted as she swung her sword with all her might.

Although she was not as physically strong as her Earth land counterpart, the Edolas Erza was no less skilled in terms of weapon skills. So, instead of taking Erza's slash head on, she caught Erza's sword between two of the blades of her spear. Then, she quickly turned her spear to the side, successfully redirecting Erza's slash to the wall beside her.

*Boon!*

With the skillful redirection her slash and the force she used to swing her sword, Erza significantly widened the hole in the wall that the Edolas Erza had made previously. At the same time, she was now in position to see Lucy, who was still falling from the top of the tower. On top of that, there was now a large amount of rubble that would undoubtedly land on top of her.

"No,… Lucy…" Erza said weakly as she realized that Lucy had fallen too far for her to catch her.

"You should focus on the battle instead of a dead weight like that girl." The Edolas Erza said as she whipped her leg at Erza's mid-section.

*Bang!*

Thanks to the kick from her Edolas counterpart, Erza was flung backward. Before the kick landed, however, Erza noticed a blue streak approaching Lucy from the distance. And although she had been thrown backward, she could not help but smile in relief.

Seeing the smile on her counterpart's face, Erza Knightwalker could not help but frown. Then, feeling that something was wrong, she looked out of the hole in the wall at Lucy to see the moment she smashed into the pavement.

"What?" The Edolas Erza exclaimed in disbelief when she could no longer see Lucy's figure. "How is this possible? Where did she go?"

Looking around quickly, the Edolas Erza eventually found Lucy being carried away by a blue Exceed with a white Exceed flying next to them.

"I won't let you escape!" Erza Knightwalker shouted as she reeled her spear back, prepared to throw it at the intruders.

"I won't let you hurt her again!" Erza shouted, interrupting her counterpart's attack.

*Bang!*

*Crack!*

In the next instant, just as the Edolas Erza was able to bring her spear into a defensive position, Erza slammed into her, shoulder first. As a result, the Edolas Erz's spear shaft was caught between her body and the shoulder of the charging Erza.

"Gah!" The Edolas Erza grunted as she felt several bones in her rib cage break.

At the same time, Erza carried her Edolas counterpart through the skies of the Royal Capital before slamming her into the ground in a forest just outside the city.

*Boom!*

"No one harms a member of Fairy Tail and gets away with it unscathed." Erza said while staring at the dust cloud she kicked up when slamming the Edolas Erza into the ground.

"*Cough* *Cough* If you think that's enough to defeat me, then you're sadly mistaken." The Edolas Erza said in a pained tone while supporting herself with her spear as the dust settled. "It will take a lot more than that to keep me down."

"Good." Erza said as she readied her stance. "You deserve a lot more punishment than that for not only hurting Lucy, but trying to kill Elicia a few days ago, as well."

Hearing the nane Elicia, the Edolas Erza's eyebrows raise as anger began to show in her expression.

"So, that woman's name was Elicia as well." The Edolas Erza said in a tone filled with venom. "She even used a similar magic to that foolish woman. I'll definitely kill her after I'm done with you. [Silfarion]."

With Erza Knightwalker's chant, she flourished her spear. And once she was done, the appearance of her spearhead had changed. Instead of four jagged, perpendicular spear blades, the head of her spear had changed into a triangular, arrowhead-like spear blade with a golden armored section, and gold and red stripes.

In the next instant, the Edolas Erza, like her Earth land counterpart had done before, vanished from where she stood in a burst of speed. A moment later, she appeared from Erza's left and thrust her spear through her counterpart's neck.

When the spear penetrated Erza's neck, however, the Edolas Erza felt that something was wrong. And when she saw Erza's figure fade away, her eyes opened wide in surprise.

"An after-image?" The Edolas Erza asked rhetorically.

*Swish!* *Splatter!*

Then, without receiving a response, the Edolas Erza felt a searing pain on her back as she stumbled forward.

Supporting herself with her spear, the Edolas Erza used her free and to reach around and touch her back. Feeling the liquid covering her back, she brought her hand in front of her face to inspect it.

"Blood?" Erza asked in a tone filled with disbelief after seeing the red liquid that was smeared all over her hand. "Is this my blood?"

"I'll admit you're fast." Erza said, appearing in front of her Edolas counterpart with a burst of speed. "But compared to what I've been through in my training, you might as well be standing still."

Instead of responding, the Edolas Erza rushed forward once again. Flashing around the battlefield, she thrust her spear at Erza, who remained in place instead of dodging, repeatedly.

*Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!*

To the Edolas Erza's surprise, however, Erza was able to parry away all her thrusts with little effort.

"Damn you!" The Edolas Erza shouted as all her thrusts, slashes, and sweeps were parried with little effort. "[Explosion]."

Then, just as one of her thrusts was about to land, the Edolas Erza chanted once again. And with that chant, the head of her spear changed again. Though the spearhead was still in a triangular-shape, it now had dark red edges and bright red blade with yellow wavy lines near its middle while it was fastened to the shaft by a light silver, inverted diamond shaped ornament.

*Boom~~~~~!*

Then, upon impact, a strong explosion was triggered that enveloped both Erza's in flames.

"*Pant* *Pant* *Pant* That's not so easy to parry, is it?" The Edolas Erza asked while the head of her spear was stabbed into the ground.

Meanwhile, in front of the Edolas Erza, the only thing she could see was a cloud of smoke, as the area affected by her explosion had not been cleared yet.

"I've dealt with worse." Erza replied, surprising her Edolas counterpart in the process.

*Bang!*

Then, the Edolas Erza was thrown backward, flying out of the smoke cloud before slamming into the trunk of a tree. And if one were to look closely, they would see that there was a bruise forming on the right side of her face.

"How… how are you alright/" The Edolas Erza asked as she raised her head.

Just at that moment, the smoke was blown away, mostly due to the backhand Erza had thrown at her counterpart while the rest was blown away when the Edolas Erza flew out of the cloud.

Standing at the epicenter of the explosion was Erza, now dawning her [Flame Empress Armor] with her sword pressing the Edolas Erza's spearhead into the ground.

"I think it's time to end this." Erza said as she lowered her stance. "I need to go back and make sure Lucy is all right."

With that, Erza dashed forward. Then, once she was in range, she raised her sword overhead, looking as if she would split her counterpart in half vertically. But instead of swinging her blade down, she slammed the pommel of her sword into the top of the Edolas Erza's head, knocking her unconscious.

"*Sigh* I'll let Mystogan decide what to do with her." Erza said as she [Requipped back into her [Heart Kreuz Armor]. "I just hope Lucy is okay after all that."

As she spoke, Erza [Requipped] a couple pairs of adamantine shackles into her hands before fastening them around her counterparts wrists and ankles. Then, she picked up the Edolas Erza and threw her over her shoulder before starting her trip back to the Royal Capital.


創作者的想法
SixthSense1029 SixthSense1029

1/2

Check out my Patr3on at:

https://patr3on.com/SixthSense1029

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy the story.

Comments, Reviews, and Power Stones are always appreciated.

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