The Water Dragon Slayer Soars

Chapter 22 Mission Accomplished?

 They reach the huge marvel of magical ingenuity and land lightly. "Where do you think we should look first?" Cain asks.

"I have no idea, just look for anything that doesn't look like a general building," Aviana answers.

Cain catches her arm, "Like that?" He points to a large building in the distance which a huge set of double doors.

"Yeah... exactly like that," Aviana replies and then two of them take off running. They burst through the double doors and find what looks like a warzone.

Amongst the wreckage they find Jura. They work together to dig him out and he starts to wake up, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Aviana replies.

Jura looks around, "Where are Natsu and the others?"

Cain quickly brings Jura up to speed on what's been going on as Aviana suddenly sniffs the air, "Wait... I smell Jella, Natsu, and Zero at lacrima one and Wendy and Carla at lacrima six by themselves!"

Cain's head snaps towards her, "Jella?! Then we need to go! Natsu might need help! And Wendy could be in danger if she and Carla are by themselves!"

Jura stands up, "I shall go assist Wendy and Carla. You two go make sure Natsu is alright."

"On it," Aviana agrees and grabs Cain's arm. They take off running down one of the large corridors that branch off from the room they were in.

As they approach the room that Aviana can smell Natsu in they can hear shouting. Then a huge explosion can be heard and large amounts of rumbling shakes the whole structure. Aviana and Cain are knocked off their feet and roll to avoid injuring themselves.

Once the rumbling stop they sprint into the room to see a knocked out Zero, a destroyed lacrima, a passed out Natsu, and an unable to move Jella. "I'll handle Jella, you grab Natsu," Aviana whispers to Cain.

He nods and the two split up. Aviana kneels next to Jella her expression hard, "Why are you here? Were you trying to help Zero?"

"I don't remember my past..." Jella replies quietly, making Aviana gasp, "I was here to help Natsu."

"It's true," Aviana turned her head to see that Natsu is now awake and leaning on Cain for support, "He gave me the flame of rebuke, increasing my powers enough to defeat Zero and destroy the lacrima in time."

Aviana looks back down at Jella in surprise but then her expression softens and she offers him her hand. He takes it gently and she helps him to his feet, catching him when he stumbles, "You going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine," he replies.

Then more rumbles start and rubble starts to rain from the ceiling, "We've got to get out of here!" Cain yells.

Aviana get's and idea and steps away from Jella. She blasts a hole in the ceiling with her dragon's roar and the whistles for Eclipse. Thankfully the horse heard her and soars in. "Katsandra! You take Cain. Natsu, Jella, get on Eclipses back!"

"What about you?" Cain yells, fear in his words.

"I'm going to get myself out using my powers, I'll be fine. Go!" Aviana shouts back.

Natsu nods and he and Jella manage to mount Eclipse, who takes off at once and is quickly out of sight. Cain looks at Aviana fearfully but before he can protest Katsandra has grabbed him and taken off as well. Aviana sprints back down the hallway, dodging falling rocks. She makes it outside and leaps from Nirvana's crumbling stone fortress and uses a burst of water to cushion her fall. She rolls clear then looks around. She spots Jura through the trees and runs in that direction, spotting most of the others who had been on Nirvana already there. She also notices Hoteyes but since no one is fighting she assumes he's an ally now. "Aviana!" Wendy sees her first runs over, tackling Aviana in a hug.