Fairy Tail: The Dark Swordsman

89 - Ancient Weapon, Nirvana

[X784, Worth Woodsea]

— Dannis Martell —

Silence choked the Worthwood Sea in the wake of the destruction.

Lyon broke it with the question everyone was thinking.

"So what's the plan now?"

They stood in the cratered remnants of the battlefield. Brain and the Oración Seis had vanished into smoke, the air still crackling from his last spell—a vortex of abyssal energy that had torn through air towards them.

Dannis glanced around. Jura had just lowered the barrier that had saved them all. The silence was uneasy, broken only by the occasional cough or shifting rubble. The casualties were evident.

Natsu and Gray knelt near Wendy, who frantically worked her healing magic over Erza and Lucy. The redhead's armor was cracked as the poison slowly but surely moved thorugh her veins. Lucy lay limp, her breath shallow but alive.

"Those bastards!" Natsu's voice cracked. "That poison guy did this to Lucy and Erza!" He slammed his fists into the ground, sending another tremor through the broken soil.

"Calm down, Natsu," Dannis said firmly, stepping forward. "Purge your thoughts from negativity. I don't want to knock you out in case Nirvana's influence creeps back in. Don't make Eve and Ren's mistakes."

Natsu tensed. For a moment, it looked like he might lash out. But the clear reminder cooled the fire in his veins. Everyone did the same, taking a deep breath and letting it out.

Around them, the others gathered. Mira helped Juvia to her feet. Ichiya pulled a bloodied handkerchief from his coat, dabbing at a cut on his lip.

"Dannis-dono is right," Jura said grimly. "It is painfully clear that we underestimated their ingenuity. We never expected the Oración Seis to strike us first once the pillar of light emerged."

Gray grunted, rubbing a bruised shoulder. "If it wasn't for Jura, most of us would probably be dead."

"Let it go," Dannis replied, voice hard. "We lost once, but we won't lose again."

As if to underline the point, three of Dannis' spectral wraiths descended from above, gently lowering the unconscious bodies of Angel, Ren, and Eve.

"I managed to cut off Racer's hand before they retreated," Dannis added. "With Angel captured and Racer crippled, that's two of the Oración Seis."

Mira chimed in. "What about Cobra though? His poison would be problematic if it hits any of us and Wendy isn't there."

"The one they call Midnight is also quite odd." Juvia said. "Juvia does not know what magic he possesses, but Juvia's Water Slicer just swerved the moment it neared him."

"I can attest to that," Ichiya chimed in. "Even my most powerful perfume couldn't affect him. It was... rather offensive."

Dannis was about to speak when the ground quaked again—this time deeper. He turned—and froze.

From beyond the woods, the city of Nirvit moved. No longer hidden beneath the soil, the ancient construct had risen on six massive legs, towering above the treeline. Its central dome pulsed with light. Beneath it, the ancient mechanism rumbled like the heartbeat of a god. It reminded Dannis of the Phantom Lord's guild building in a way.

Jura rushed forward. "Dannis-dono, lead the others! I will buy you time. Stop Nirvana!"

"Jura, wait—!" Lyon cried out.

Too late. From beneath Jura's feet, the earth erupted as a colossal stone golem formed, nearly equal in height to the moving city. Jura rose with it, standing tall on its shoulder, the wind tugging at his robes. His hands glowed with magic circles as the golem slammed its stone palms together and shoved against Nirvana's front leg, forcing the city to stumble with a screech of rusted gears.