The Beat of War Drums

Chapter 10 - The Battle (1)

Author's Note: Current update schedule: SUNDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY.

If any author or author-to-be wants to form a critiquing email circle thing, message me your email address.

Twitter:  https://www.tumblr.com/blog/talina-tpq

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/talina-tpq

Chapter 10

One Week Later - Natsu's P.O.V.

Everyone scurries around, trying to find another way to be useful. As we prepare to open the gate, my family looks to me to lead them, which is frightening. Since I'm the only one with my type of knowledge about eternano, everyone looks to me to answer their questions and to reassure them when they voice their concerns. The last time I heard from Kida, she was making me armor. Zeref constantly scurries around, finding something to do. He's scared that I really will die, and while I appreciate the effort, I think that he's going to work himself into an early grave. Everyone is constantly demanding that I rest, but I still spend most of my time amplifying the eternano in my severed body parts even further. I don't want anyone to be exhausted, which means that these things will have to be crazy powerful.

I've finally gotten used to my new arm, and I now act like I hadn't lost it in the first place. I keep training, trying to make it stronger in a short period of time. I don't bother with the hole in my chest now that skin's grown over it. There's a large indent, but it doesn't hurt anymore. As I thought, my lack of an eye isn't much of a problem, and I'm adjusting surprisingly fast.

"Duck!" I hear someone shout to me. I immediately drop before the monstrously huge length of wood can bash me in the head. Since not all of our mages can fly, we're building a massive scaffolding to perch them on so they can better distribute their eternano within the barrier. Besides, it would take too much eternano to fly anyway. I wave at the etherious who told me to duck, and he grins in response. With so many hands working, we'll be done with it in less than an hour.

I continue on my way. I've hardly gotten to see anyone from Fairy Tail since our ship docked, but I hear that they've been sticking together. I finally got word to my team that I want to talk to them, and I'm on my way to meet them now. I weave through the crowds towards our meeting spot. There are hundreds of people here now, helping us in any way that they can, and it's a bit difficult to maneuver through sometimes.

Finally, I spot Lucy, Gray, Erza, and Happy. I haven't so much as spoken a word to Erza and Happy all week, but I've at least managed to speak to Lucy and Gray in passing. I call out to them and raise my fake hand into the air. They spot me and I see grins break out on their faces as they move to meet me. Soon enough, we all stand together.

"Let's go somewhere less crowded, yeah?" I ask loudly to be heard over the bustle. Everyone nods with wide, exasperated eyes. I collect a bit of eternano and teleport us deep into the forest. Lucy yelps at the sudden transition and Gray nearly falls over. I laugh at their discomfort associated with teleportation.

"Should you really be using magic, Natsu?" Erza asks, concerned.

"I've been storing up so much eternano that I'm nearly as lacrimized as my amputated body parts." I laugh out loud. Erza gives me a skeptical look. "I'm fine, really." I insist.

"Okay, then. If you say so." Lucy says, suspicious.

"What did you want to talk to us about, Natsu?" Happy asks.

"Yeah, what did you call us out here for, flame brain?" Gray agrees.

"I just wanted to talk about the plan." I shrug. "I want to make sure that you guys especially know what's going to be happening and don't cause any trouble over it." I explain. They watch me carefully, likely already knowing the gist of what I'm going to say. I'm going to tell them that my life is one the line and that there's nothing that they can do about it.