Fairy Tail: The Dark Swordsman

57 - Titans

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...

[X784, Phantom Lord Guild Building]

— Mirajane Strauss —

The air was thick with dust and smoke. Every breath Mira took tasted of iron and ash.

It was that exact scenario that met her as she entered the destroyed building.

Dannis was kneeling in the center of the hall — or rather, what remained of it. There was destruction all around, the walls and floors shattered beyond repair.

Blood dripped from his chin, splattering onto the broken stone beneath him. His breaths were slow and shallow, each one dragging through his throat as if it pained him just to breathe. His right hand still loosely gripped his sword, fingers twitching as if even letting go would drain what little strength he had left.

Her heart twisted painfully at the sight.

When was the last time, if ever, did she see him as injured as this?

"Dannis!" She flew over to her boyfriend, her voice betraying her worry. She dropped to her knees beside him. "Are you okay?!"

"Mira..." Dannis's voice was rough and thin. His head lifted slightly. His onyx and crimson eyes were hazy with exhaustion and pain. "Is that you?"

"It's me." She cupped his cheek, her fingers ghosting over the bruises and cuts marring his face. His skin was cold beneath her hand, and that made her heart hammer harder.

Their eyes met, his gaze duller than it should have been. Mira forced a shaky smile.

"You've sure made a mess this time, huh?"

Dannis's breath hitched. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Heheh... You should see the other guy."

It was true.

Aria's crumpled form lay not far away, blood pooling beneath him in a dark smear across the ruined floor. Numerous cuts marred his body, but the most gruesome injury was the one at the center of his chest — a wound so clean and deep it could only have been made by Obsidian. The sword-shaped hole was already gushing dark blood, and there was no rise or fall to his chest. No movement at all.

He wasn't breathing.

"I can't move right now." Dannis admitted, his head sagging slightly toward her hand. His breath trembled. "How's..everything outside? What about the Master?"

"We beat Phantom Lord." Mira gently pushed his black hair away from his forehead, fingers brushing through the sweat-matted strands. "Master's still fighting Jose, from what I can sense. Natsu and Gray beat Gajeel and Juvia. And Erza..."

"I'm here."

The sound of boots on broken stone made Mira turn.

Erza walked through the ruined archway. Her body was covered in wounds of all kinds. Her armor was cracked at the shoulder and hip, revealing the numerous bruises, cuts, and bruises that marred her body. Her long red hair was undone, a long cut on her forehead that dripped blood over half her face.

Mira wasn't shocked at this sight. Erza had single handedly fought against hundreds of Phantom Lord's mages by herself. She was the one to walk away while the others did not. Mira did the same thing, but she had the entirety of Fairy Tail watching her back.