Keeping Secrets

Bright Eyes... Blinded By Fear Of Life

Welcome back everyone! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

KEEPING SECRETS CHAPTER 26- BRIGHT EYES... BLINDED BY FEAR OF LIFE

"You folks need to beat it. This ain't a spot for tourists." Zancrow said with a maniacal smile.

Why does he smell so different? Natsu thought.

However, before he could say anything, Jackal interjected. "We ain't tourists, dumbass! We're looking for a guy named Rustyrose! You know him?"

Zancrow' s smile disappeared. "Rustyrose? How do you know that name? What do you-"

"Zancrow!" Natsu shouted, capturing the other man's attention. "How the Hell are you still alive?"

Zancrow's smile returned, and he cocked his head. "Sorry, have we met?"

Natsu scowled. "Sure have, you conveniently forget losing to me?"

Zancrow's grin grew. "HA! You're funny. I don't lo-"

The god slayer's declaration was caught off as August stretched his hand out, and a moment later, Zancrow vanished into thin air... but the scent of a person nearby remained.

Natsu's eyes widened. "What the Hell was that?"

"That," August said, "was Arc of Embodiment at work. Rustyrose recreated his deceased guildmate with it. I simply cast an anti-magic spell to disperse the faux- Zancrow and draw our target out."

"Well that explains why he smelled so different." Natsu said, turning as he heard footsteps approaching from the ruins of the airship. However, the man who emerged from them was not Rustyrose either, but a dark-skinned man with thick, spiky dark brown hair and a goatee.

"Zancrow!" The new man gritted his teeth and reared his arms back, clearly readying an attack. "You'll pay for-"

Before the new man could finish his sentence, August waved his hand again, and like Zancrow, this new man also vanished.

"Another one?" Jackal said, obviously bewildered.

"Indeed." August said. Raising his voice, August yelled. "You might as well come out. I will dispel any more of your friends you send at us without hesitation."

Footsteps approached from the ruins of the airship again, and out stepped a man with silver hair, messily styled into a mohawk, wearing a tattered fur lined jacket and chipped goggles. Scowling at them, the man said, "You will pay for what you've done to my comrades."

"That's him." Natsu said to August and Jackal, who nodded.

August stepped forward, his expression showing he meant business. Natsu saw Rustyrose's confident stance waver, as the ex- Grimoire Heart mage was no doubt feeling the weight of August's incredible magic aura. "You misunderstand us. We are not here to harm you. In fact, we are looking for you specifically, Rustyrose."

Rustyrose sneered. "I bet. No doubt to turn me into the Magic Council for a bounty! I'll die before I go with you! Arc of Embodiment, Sacred Guardian Beast- Belcusas the Thunderclap!" A humanoid looking monster with a horned helmet appeared and charged at them, but August nullified it as well.

"Fuck the Magic Council!" Jackal shouted. "Would ya just quit being stupid for five seconds and listen to us? We're here from the Alvarez Empire!"

That seemed to get Rustyrose's attention. "Alvarez? Well you're all certainly a long way from home. What business could the empire across the sea possibly have here?"