Hot and Cold

The Feeling of Death

~*****~

After a while of being jostled around, Brandish finally dumps us into a heap, causing major pain as Lucy's big butt slams onto my head. "Lucy!" I complain. "Lose weight!"

"Seriously, it's like Elfman decided to sit on me!" Natsu agrees loudly. We both give a shout of pain as a fist conks on our heads. "Hey, monster lady!" Natsu roars up at Brandish. "What's your problem?"

"I'm sorry for what happened earlier. Brandish, I really don't think we need to fight anymore!" Lucy exclaims.

Brandish just sighs through her nose before returning to her normal size. "Well, neither do I." Brandish hums. "You guys helped me out when you didn't have to, so I've decided to spare you."

"You'll spare us?" Ballad asks curiously.

"Like I said before. I've no intention to betray Alvarez. It's where I call home, after all. I'm going to slaughter every last one of your friends and guildmates. But I promise that I will not harm you." Brandish hums.

"What the hell? Are you serious?" Natsu growls as he stands up.

"It's inevitable." Brandish sighs. "There's no doubt that Alvarez will be victorious. Our sheer numbers, the power of the Spriggan Twelve, and our heavyweights, August and Irene. And at this very moment, his majesty is reaping the Fairy Heart. Give up already. Because you don't have a chance at winning."

"No way. Fairy Tail will never surrender." Natsu states firmly.

"Doesn't matter," Brandish hums. "All your friends are going to die. There's nothing you can do."

"What a load of crap," I comment boredly. Brandish's gaze flinches to mine. "You really think they're all gonna die?"

"Yes." Brandish retorts firmly. "You've never faced an enemy as lethal as the Spriggan Twelve."

"And your twelve have never faced a fairy defending it's home and friends." I retort. "Your cockiness will be your downfall."

"You remember what went down on Caracol Island, don't you?" Brandish asks. "I could end your lives right now with a snap of my fingers."

"Do it." I retort harshly. "Quit with the mercy bullshit. You barged into our home, so now you're gonna pay the damn piper."

"Erza! Lady Erza!" A voice calls out. "Come out wherever you are!"

Some weirdo stalks up to us. Brandish turns a gaze over her shoulder. "Neinhart." She murmurs. "Wait, your eyes-"

Neinhart laughs as he lifts his head a bit more. His eyes are black through and through. "An effect of my lady's augmentation magic! Right now, I'm practically bursting at the seams with power! You should step aside, Brandish. These five are comrades of Lady Erza. That makes them enemies."

"Lady Erza?" Happy echoes.

"Leave us be. We're in the middle of a negotiation here." Brandish orders.

"Is that so?" Neinhart asks disinterestedly. "Sounds suspicious to me. You would dare betray Lady Irene and the empire?!" Neinhart shouts, blasting up wind from every corner, causing Brandish to scream in pain.

"Holy crap!" Lucy whines.

"This wind is like a million little razors!" Happy cried.

I swat the wind off my shoulder with a disinterested hum. The ground beneath our feet turns to ice and Neinhart is suddenly encapsuled by it, frozen solid. Whatever magic that had been powering him up fades to nothing. "Are we going to continue this conversation?" I ask irritably as I turn my gaze back onto Brandish.