𝙏𝙃𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 // 𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣, 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣

Alongside her red hair, Lakyn's cape fluttered majestically in a breeze that had somehow picked up in the catacombs of the icy land - perhaps from the sheer magic power both women were releasing.

Phyillida gave a hiss, staggering forwards and opening her maw to reveal sharp, batlike fangs.
"Give me all that you've got, Sabertooth!"

She gave an earsplitting roar and then pounced forwards at Lakyn, who swung a hook into her face and sent the bat lady reeling. Almost instantaneously, she tumbled and then righted herself, immediately springing at Lakyn again.

Fist cloaked in water, she slashed at Phyillida, who dodged around her and elbowed the small of her back. Lakyn gasped, stumbling slightly, before swinging back around and slamming her knuckles into the back of Phyillida's head. Nimbly, the bat lady dodged and Lakyn's fist cracked into the ground. The redhead gave a cry of indignation.

"Water God's Bellow!" she shouted, and a tunnel of black water shot from her mouth towards Phyillida. Again, the purple-haired woman dodged and sped towards Lakyn. Her whip-like magic lashed at the ground alongside her.

"Water God's... Neptune!" Lakyn shrieked, throwing her arms wide. Either side of her, two black, writhing tornadoes of water generated. She turned her menacing amber stare to Phyillida, who audibly swallowed as Lakyn clapped her hands together in front of her. All at once, the snakes of black water crashed together. Phyillida didn't manage to dodge this time, instead getting caught between the hurricane. The whipping of wind and water battered her black and blue, her screams barely heard from between the water.

"And... Sea Arrow!"

Lakyn swung forwards, leaping into the air and twisting to connect her heel with Phyillida's jaw as the water dissipated. A satisfying crunch rung out and, finally, the bat woman collapsed. Lakyn was left standing amongst the wreckage, body shaking.

There was a bated silence before Past [Y/N] gave a shriek of glee.
"Oh my gosh! That...!" she exclaimed, "you're so strong!"
"That was insane!" Past Sting agreed, "but, uh. My future self could still definitely— definitely beat you."

"Someone needs to humble you," Past [Y/N] huffed.
"Mm, I don't know about that... Sting," Minerva teased the blond with a cough.

"We'll come back for this one later," Lakyn announced, using her magic to bind Phyillida's limbs and then propping her unconscious form up against the cavern wall.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Yukino worried, "what if she escapes and comes after us again?"

"She won't," Lakyn reassured, "we need to worry about your guildmate for now."
She gestured to Minerva.

"Oh god, yeah," Past Rogue vocalised, taking a glance at the deep red stain on Minerva's blouse.

"The only one who carried any kind of potions that could help her was Rogue," Yukino's brow furrowed, "our Rogue, I mean."
"I can carry her for now, until we rendezvous with the rest of Sabertooth," Lakyn said.

"A-are you sure? It's no trouble for me to," Yukino replied. Despite the situation, her cheeks flushed pink. Lakyn quirked a brow and grinned.
"No, it's alright," she shook her head, "I think I'm more capable to carry her than you. Plus, if anyone takes us by surprise, you'll be on defence with your Spirits."

"Alright," Yukino breathed a sigh. Minerva heaved a groan as Lakyn picked her up.
"Sorry," the Water God Slayer apologised as she swept Minerva from the ground.
"Uh, where now?" Past [Y/N] said, "we don't know where any of the others are."

"Well, the only way is forwards," Past Rogue answered her. It seemed the hostile atmosphere between the three teenagers who had come from the past had cooled down massively. Perhaps it was because of the dire situation they were in, and there was no time for infighting when there was a greater common enemy that lied ahead.

"From what our [Y/N] told us from her job... these are the guild members from Dragon Tongue," Yukino observed as the group marched onwards.

"Dragon Tongue?" Lakyn questioned, "that rings a bell."
"Our [Y/N] was gone for a year on a very dangerous job," Yukino explained, "she infiltrated the dark guild, Dragon Tongue, and then took it down from the inside."

"Oh, yes," Lakyn hummed, "I'm familiar with it now. I know of their resident God Slayer."
"Well, ya would," Past Sting nodded, "I mean, I don't really know... well, anything about this time. But I'd get that most God Slayers know each other, right?"
"Just like how most of us Dragon Slayers know each other," Past Rogue agreed, "well, apparently, we will in the future."
"Because I apparently join Sabertooth..." Past [Y/N] trailed away.

"Mhm," Yukino ignored the teenagers' chatter, "Our [Y/N] told us most of the details. Led by the Takeover Mage Saoirse and her husband, Rush, the Shadow God Slayer. They must both be here."
"I thought you said your friend took the guild down?" Lakyn questioned.

"She did," the silver-haired woman sighed, "they must have somehow escaped. Though, [Y/N] isn't to blame for that. She's a very capable wizard and she most definitely did her very best to take them in."
"I wasn't blaming her for this," Lakyn shook her head, "Rush, he's... a slippery man. It is hard to keep him in one place."

"I see," Yukino nodded.

"So... what happens if my future self is by himself, and he runs into the God Slayer?" Past Rogue worried slightly, "we use the same kind of magic."

A silence fell throughout the group. Nobody had to say out loud what the answer was for the boy to understand.

"But... he wouldn't be by himself," Minerva managed out, "he would have [Y/N] with him."
"I agree. She won't leave his side if she also recognises that the Shadow God Slayer could be here. It would just be too dangerous," Yukino nodded.

"What is it with us, then?" Past [Y/N] chirped, "you all keep saying that my future self won't let anything happen to him."
"You're real good friends!" Lector exclaimed, "the bestest. And Sting, too! You guys are like... a Dragon Slayer Trio!"

"I guess that wouldn't make us the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth if there's a third," Past Sting shrugged.
"No, you're still labeled that because of your opposing magic skills," Yukino said, "it's just that... our [Y/N] also has a lot of publicity with our Sting and Rogue. So that title's still used, but really only when you take jobs as a duo."
"Which is... very rarely, nowadays," Minerva added.

"Huh. Pretty cool," Past Sting said, "y'know, fairy girl, you're not that bad."
"You're not that bad either, tiger boy," Past [Y/N] glanced at both him and Past Rogue. The latter gave a slight smile.

Lector and Yukino exchanged a knowing glance. The silver-haired woman winked at the Exceed, praising his lying capabilities.

"Say... I know we have just defeated that bat lady," Lakyn started, "but... it's awfully quiet now. I can barely hear anything."
"If only [Y/N] were here. She would get everyone back together in a jiffy," Yukino sighed.

Suddenly, she gave a gasp.
"That's it!" she exclaimed.
"What is it?" Lakyn asked.
"Little [Y/N]," Yukino turned to the teenaged girl, "you have the same hearing capabilities as her, don't you?"

"Well, duh. We all do, she's a Dragon Slayer," Past Sting said.
"No... no!" Past [Y/N]'s face brightened, "I'm a Sound Dragon Slayer! I can hear better than anyone here!"
"So that means you can listen out for everybody else, right?" Yukino smiled.
"I... I can try," Past [Y/N] inhaled sharply.

All eyes fell onto the young Dragon as she stepped over to the wall, pressing her ear against it. The silence in the cave was so deafeningly loud.

"I... I hear..." Past [Y/N] whispered, "crying? A little girl, she's crying. And... I hear whispering. I can't make it out all that well."
"A little girl crying?" Yukino muttered, "is there anything else?"

"Uhh... nearby! I can hear a woman's voice, but she's speaking... really fancy. I can't understand what she's saying," Past [Y/N] sighed.

Past Rogue blinked, "so... which one are we going to?"