Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 91 - Cana vs Jackal

Cana drew seven cards from her deck, then removed the bag slung around her shoulder and tossed it aside. It landed among the rubble of the rest of the Cube. Her deck splayed out all over the ground. She flipped the seven cards over and over again until her opponent finally made his way over the rubble hill that appeared to be an old library. He raised his hands to the sky. The clouds swirled overhead, popping with minor explosions.

"Well, well, wanted to wait up for me?" Jackal asked.

Cana gestured behind her. "Figured you'd wanna chase down the rest of the gang after your little stunt a few minutes ago. Too bad."

"You think you're gonna stop me?"

Cana flipped a card over her knuckles. "Nah. I'm gonna kill you."

Jackal howled. "You idiot! We're immortal."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. My friends are on their way to destroy Hell's Core right now. You're just obsessed with getting this job done."

"Yeah? Well, I bet your idiot friends can't even get past that worm, Lamy." Jackal closed his hands into fists. "You're stalling."

"Am I?"

Jackal sneered. "Shut up!"

He launched at Cana. Alright.

Round three.

Cana stepped back, letting her cards go as Jackal landed. He eyed the cards quickly. Cana closed the distance between the two, taking just a step closer. Jackal smiled at her as her hand got closer, closer—

"Invisa Shield!"

The card in her hand sparked into existence, the card that Cana had at the bottom of the stack and was, by its nature, always invisible. With Jackal so close, the shield it spawned slammed into him, sending him a few steps back. Cana swung her arms down.

"Summoned Lightning!"

A bolt of green lightning launched from each card's spawned magic circle and shocked Jackal, each with enough force to bury him in more rubble. Cara flourished her hands, and cards swirled up from the deck on the ground into her possession.

Jackal roared and blew up the debris in his proximity. Some dust rained down on Cana, who did not break her concentration. This demon was a wild animal who preyed, specifically, on fear. He used not only his curse power as a means of intimidation, but so little else about him could inspire the anxiety he wanted in his opponents. He needed their confidence to waver, he needed to see a spark of hope die in their eye.

Cana waited, the cards drifting around her like a barrier. Lots of options to choose from.

Jackal looked past her, to the deck of cards lying on the ground, then back to Cana.

Cana swung her arms, each one turning into a bolt of light. Jackal dove under them. They hit the wall behind him and landed, flatly, on the ground.

"I'll end this in one move!"

He didn't attack Cana—he went straight for her deck of cards. Cana slid toward him. Perfect. Man, this guy was so predictable.

"Crush!"

Jackal, flabbergasted, threw his hands up, but the magic nevertheless left Cana and slammed into him, sending him crashing through a nearby wall. Cana lowered her hands, feeling the sting from exerting that much raw magic power.

It was all she could muster from her father's arsenal, but, in the weeks the two spent training, Cana would've been damned not to pick up something from her old man. Sure, she managed to craft a few cards that resembled his magic, but having it actually in her arsenal was something she knew she'd need if Fairy Tail had any chance at defeating the Empire.