Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 28 - The Assassin Strikes

Fried's Justu Shiki stood stout, and invisible, around the Blue Pegasus guild hall, with an even more reinforced once, having been built over several days, lay around the Broken Wizard healing chamber. The refugees that were unable to fight had been scurried away, hidden in an old cellar for a few days while Laxus, Makarov, Ichiya, the Thunder Tribe, Bob, and what few wizards were among the refugees waited and pretended they weren't in for the fight of their lives.

Fried's enchantments would clue them in on any movements, any sneaky things, that the assassins could try to pull off.

The magic pressure coming from all around them was clear enough that though the enemy likely wanted to sneak in and deal quick, easy blows, they also wanted those within the guild hall to be afraid.

Ichiya absorbed his perfumes while Bickslow sent his puppets to scout. Evergreen remained vigilant, aware that she was their signal flare, she was the one the Empire knew to target. Makarov continued to stand on his own, head bowed and arms crossed as his brow furrowed in concentration.

Laxus was much the same, though he had his head on an anticipatory swivel. In all likelihood, the Ethereal Witch and the Lightning God Slayer would return, along with whatever assassins they thought to tag along. Maybe those Garou Knights, though the Fairies dealt with them pretty—

"Stay alert, they're here!" Fried hollered.

Laxus tensed. Fried's enchantment was bound to the Twilight Empire—none loyal to it were meant to be able to get through. They were perfectly well-guarded in a forcefield that none should be able to get through.

So why, then, was Laxus sensing a magic power that dwarfed any he'd ever felt before getting closer?

"Eyes up, Laxus," Makarov said, at last coming out of his meditation. "They're here."

"I know, gramps," Laxus said. "Fried just pointed it out."

Makarov shook his head. "They're already in the building."

Laxus's ears perked, the hairs on his neck stood, and his reflexes took over as four kunai dug into the wood pillar he'd just been leaning against. Evergreen gasped and whipped around as their assailant vanished, Laxus only just catching the tail end of his appearance.

A black void opened in the center of the room, several orbs shooting out of it to decimate the area, striking several of the refugee wizards and Ichiya, who deflected the one striking him back into the void that only rebounded back out.

Smoke bombs poured out of it, almost leaving the place in complete disarray were it not for Makarov's Wind spell undoing the smoke, but unveiling the towering, macular presence of that monstrous Lightning God Slayer, who'd already locked eyes with Laxus.

"Lightning God—!"

The husky Ichiya slammed into the Lightning God Slayer, punching him straight in the face, and, with all that rippling muscle, sent him flying away, through an opposing wall.

"Deal with the Ethereal Witch!" Makarov shouted, sweat pouring down his brow. "Laxus, on me!"

"Where?"

Makarov raised his hand and shot a beam of light toward a shadowy corner of the room. The beam stopped in place, but when Makarov closed his fist, the beam exploded, and revealed the one who'd caught it:

A man with a major five o'clock shadow and balding black hair smirked back at them. He wore a skull on his forehead and had a long chin. He wore a fine black suit with a blue shirt beneath, and fitted black gloves he adjusted with ease.

"I'm surprised you spotted me, Makarov," the man said.

He had the power Laxus had been sensing. The power that all of the others combined couldn't even match. A power greater, even, than Makarov.