Phoenix Storm || Fairy Tail [2]

➝ 𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙩 𝙛𝙩. 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖
❛ 𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭. ❜

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"So... a phoenix stone, huh?" Macao turned the stone around in his hands, his brows furrowed. "Can't say it looks that dangerous to me."

"Maybe breaking the stone will break the curse!" Happy suggested. The idea alone was idiotic, but no one was around to stop Natsu from snatching the stone up.

"Now that's using your brain!" Natsu grinned toothily, "let me see!"

Tossing the stone into the air, Natsu launched himself upwards. Fire streamed behind his blurred figure.

"Fire Dragon..." Natsu's fists collided with the stone, fire roaring and drawing the attention of the rest of the guild. "Wing Attack!"

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"Natsu, you idiot," Rose glowered down at the boy. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, with his head turned down guiltily and the stone resting in his hand. His attack had done nothing to it.

"Do you seriously call that using your brain?" Macao scolded, standing beside the irritated phoenix slayer

"It wasn't my idea..." Natsu huffed, offering the stone to Rose.

Rose hesitated, unsure of what would happen if she touched it. Physical contact with the stone... would cause the phoenix to react, surely – its fractured consciousness would be stirred by the presence of a similar magic signature. Finally, she took the stone.

"Free me..."

The disembodied voice of the creature echoed in her mind like a thousand people speaking at once. Rose glared at the stone unknowingly, trying to push the being away from her mentally. It seemed to retreat for a brief moment, but then returned, more vocal about its goals.

"Join me... fulfil your purpose..."

"My purpose is to destroy you," Rose said quietly. Around her, the rest of the guild was clearly confused. Why was she speaking to the stone?

"What a misguided belief... I can see the blood that taints your soul."

"... that may be true," Rose began, expression unreadable, "but I can't allow you to be released. If you are... I'll be your enemy."

"Rose!"

Cylene's voice drew her out of the conversation. The phoenix retreated with an angered screech that temporarily disoriented Rose. Cylene glided from the bar to Rose's shoulder, landing gracefully, before nudging the phoenix slayer.

It took a moment, but Rose seemed to recover from her dazed state somewhat.

Rose stared at the stone in her palm for a time, her eyes hardening. Éclair stepped forward and was given the item without much complaint.

"What was that?" Lucy asked, "You just froze up, and started glaring at the stone...!"

"... it tried talking to me," Rose said shortly. Her eyes shifted to Éclair.

"I think it's vital that I get around to destroying it—"

A massive bang tore through the air. Then, the wall opposite the group exploded. Instinctively, Rose raised an arm to protect her face, and turned to shield Cylene from the brunt of the impact. Lucy had tackled Eclair to move her out of the way of a collapsing beam. Natsu was attempting to shield the two, and Rose quickly joined him – casting a spell whilst she was at it.