The Darkness

Chapter 11: The Bride of Eden

Armin sat in a chair drinking from a health potion bottle to regain her health quickly, since they weren't able to have Rosalina heal her. Everyone stood around her waiting for her to start explaining what had happened. Armin placed the empty bottle down on the table and kept her head down.

"I was in a shop when I heard her scream. By the time I made it out of there she was already gone." Armin said, "I don't know who had taken her. I-I'm sorry."

Armin clenched her hands tightly as anger spread through her. She felt guilt because she had left Juvia to roam around on her own. It was her fault that she was taken. Her fault that Juvia could be in pain or dead. She gritted her teeth and began to shake.

A hand was placed onto her shoulder causing her to jump and snap out of her angry guilt.

"It's okay, Armin. We will find her. Don't blame yourself for this." Greed said and Armin looked down frowning.

"And once we find her, we'll kick her kidnappers asses!" Pony said.

"We definitely will" Greed said removing her hand from Armin's shoulder.

A loud hiss came from a window catching everyones attention. They turned to look at the window to see a small cactus person duck down.

"We have an intruder. Reiner, go from the roof with your bow at the ready. Matt go around from the back. Greed you too, but go left. Gray, you." Pony began, but stopped and looked at the ice mage.

"I go where?" he questioned.

"Catch a mouse for Hades." Pony said and turned to Armin, "Armin, you go out the door, I'll stay behind and watch your back."

"Right." she said nodding her head a little as she stood up, "Let's do this."

With that said the others went to their positions. Armin and Pony stood there for a moment waiting for the others to get ready.

"Who knew Hades could be a guard dog. Well guard snake." Pony said as they waited.

"Yeah." Armin muttered.

"Don't blame yourself for this Armin. It's not your fault." Pony said and Armin looked up at him.

"I left her alone though. I should have stayed with her. Now she could be...d-dead." Armin said and her voice cracked at the last word.

Tears filled her blue eyes, but they did not fall. She blinked them away quickly as she held back a small sob. She did not want to cry in front of him. She already thought of herself as a weakling.

"I better go now. The others should be ready by now." she said sniffing.

Armin walked passed Pony and pulled out her sword just in case she needed to use it. She opened the door and Pony got ready to defend her.

Armin stepped out and quickly brought her sword up blocking cactus needles being shot at her. She jumped back away from the humanoid plant as Matt ran at it from behind.

She quickly slammed the hilt of her sword down onto the cactus knocking it out. However unknown to the others, besides Reiner who was on the roof, there were a small gang of humanoid plants closing in on around them.

Reiner pulled back an arrow and shot one after another taking out most of them. Noticing the gang now the group began to fight them. Except Gray who was in the basement trying to catch out a mouse.

Meanwhile in the Town of Eden many cheers could be heard as Juvia walked through the towns streets that were crowded with many humanoid plants. They all had their attention on Juvia as if she was their Queen.