105 Chapter 99 - Pretending to Lose.
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[Adam C. POV]
The sea glimmered beneath me, an expansive sheet of glass reflecting the dim light of the setting sun.
High above it all, I floated, calmly waiting for the inevitable.
I had proven to be stronger than my opponent, but in the end, that hadn't proved to be enough.
I had been defeated, not by his power, but by his careful preparation, that or by his quick thinking in making a lie believable enough to corner me.
Regardless of what the reality of things was. Jellal had given me an ultimatum. Take the hit or Magnolia will do it in your stead.
The choice had been a simple one.
A calmness had settled over me, as still and serene as the sea beneath.
It was the tranquility that came from having made a choice, I knew I wouldn't regret. But underneath that calm, a fierce determination smoldered.
This would hurt.
A lot quite possibly.
But it would not be the end of me.
"Are you ready, Adam?" Jellal asked, his voice smooth and mocking.
"Could you kindly go fuck yourself?" I replied, as the hairs on my arm stood up, reacting to the familiar hum of multiple magic signatures filling the air.
Seven energy signatures, most of them familiar. Erza, Natsu, Gray, Happy, Lucy, Cana, and someone else I didn't quite know, I could sense each and every one of them nearing my location.
At the rate they were moving, they would arrive within a few minutes.
Good.
If I played my cards well, their arrival would give me the time to confirm whether or not Jellal was telling the truth, in order to make the call whether or not I have to leave to defend Magnolia.
Smiling at thought, I closed my eyes, listening to the distant rush of the ocean, the wind whispering past me, feeling with each passing second how my companions neared.
It was almost peaceful. Almost. Then, the calm shattered.
The hum of the Etherion cannon filled the air, a noise that seemed to vibrate through the very marrow of my bones. It was a sound of pure, raw power, a death knell that echoed across the sky.
The light of Etherion as it reached its peak, was a blinding, searing white that illuminated the world in a harsh, unforgiving glow.
Then, with a silent shriek that teared through the air, the spell blasted towards me, breaking the sea below me in two as it neared me.
I could feel the heat of it before it even reached me, the air around me sizzling and crackling with energy, culminating in a blinding explosion that left nothing untouched, as pain flooded my senses.
The world spun as I was thrown back, smoke and flames wreathing my body. And without even realizing it, I was falling, the air rushing past me as I plummeted towards the sea.
The impact was like hitting concrete, a crushing blow that forced the air from my lungs and plunged me into the icy depths.
I sank, the world a blurry, distorted mess around me.
Not that I was fighting against this, on the contrary, I was letting the sea claim me, pulling me deeper into its inky depths.
The water was cold, numbing my skin and soothing the worst of the burning pain. Above me, the surface seemed to shimmer and distort, the light from the Etherion cannon fading.
Now, all I had to do was wait.
Let's see for how long you can keep me out of this, Jellal.
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[Cana Alberona Clive. POV.]
The ocean parted around us; a path carved under the sea, breaking the currents of the sea, thanks to Juvia's magic, who kept us safe.
That being said, safety was the farthest thing from my mind.
I could feel it even here, deep beneath the surface of the sea. The charge was immense, a force of power that made my heart pound with fear.
It hadn't taken me long to figure out this power was aimed at my brother, and for some reason, he wasn't moving, or even trying to block it, if how his energy felt was anything to go by.
I begged in my head.
Begging him to dodge, to move, to do anything but let that spell hit him.
I knew he couldn't hear me.
But I still begged.
Then, the sea shuddered, sending waves of rippling energy through the currents, forcing Juvia to shield us with her magic.
He hadn't dodged.
My breath hitched, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow down.
Fear, anger, and sadness washing over me all at once. The intensity behind each feeling being nothing short of staggering.
My fists clenched at my sides, nails biting into my palms as I fought to keep my composure. I had to trust my brother, I had to trust him to have a reason behind this.
I had to.
Because if I didn't, then I wasn't sure my heart could take the alternative.
As I turned my gaze to the side, I noticed Erza.
Her face was a mirror of my own, etched with worry and a deep, simmering anger. Her eyes, usually so calm and composed, were stormy.
Wordlessly, we exchanged a look.
A vow.
A promise to make those responsible pay for what they had done.
Sensing the change in the air, Juvia's magic propelled us forward, this time faster than before, each passing second bringing us closer to the Tower.
"There's no way that took him out, you know that better than anyone, Cana," Gray said, his voice low and tense, cutting through the silence that had settled over us like a heavy blanket.
Erza nodded silently.
I did too.
I knew Gray was right.
Adam was a Clive.
And we were too stubborn to die.
Still, my heart felt heavy in my chest, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I simply couldn't help it, no matter how much I knew Gray's words to be true.
One thing was certain though.
We would reach the Tower. We would find my brother. And we would make sure these bastards regretted the day they ever crossed our paths.
We were coming for them. And we wouldn't stop until we had our justice.
That was Fairy Tail's way.
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[Jellal Fernandes. POV.]
Leaning against the cold wall of the Tower, I closed my eyes, summoning what remained of my strength to remain conscious.
I was battered, bruised, and my magic reserves were nearly depleted.
Adam's power had surpassed our wildest expectations for him. It pained me to admit it, but I had been outclassed at every turn.
The only reason I had won was because he had no way of confirming my words, making my lies a bigger weapon than any spell I had used against him.
It was honestly infuriating that I had been forced to resort to such tactics to win. But I can't argue with the results.
"The timing couldn't be worse," I muttered to myself, gritting my teeth.
In the eerie silence of the Tower, I could feel multiple magic signatures, approaching very fast. One of these signatures being Erza.
Straightening up, I pushed away from the wall, my body protesting to the movement, as pain flared up in my side, a sharp reminder of Adam's last attack.
It was pain like no other, pain that made my days in the Tower, my days under Brain, pale in comparison.
Regardless of that, I had to compose myself.
There was no room for weakness. Not now.
Not when I'm this close to completing my life's purpose.
"Jellal!" Millianna's voice echoed through the halls, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Are you alright? Do you need anything?"
"I'll manage," I replied, forcing a calm tone as I turned to see Millianna and the rest of my associates walk towards me.
"That bastard tricked us," Sho hissed, his fists clenched tightly as he inspected my wounds with a gaze. "We should have known he would have something up his sleeve."
"We can't possibly prepare for every possibility," Simon said, his voice calm and collected.
"What now, Jellal?" Wally asked, his expression uncertain as he tipped his hat forward, hiding his eyes in the shadow of its brim.
"Nothing has changed, so be ready," I commanded, my voice echoing through the empty chamber. "I will need some time to recover. Your mission in the meantime remains the same, eliminating the intruders, no matter the cost."
A moment of silence passed before Ikaruga stepped forward, a thin, chilling smile spreading across her face. "You said you wanted to deal with Erza on your own, but considering your current condition, might I take your place in the matter?"
"Do as you please, just don't let anyone reach me," I replied, suppressing a wince as I straightened up. "Keep her alive, she still has a role to play in this."
"As you wish, Jellal," Ikaruga said, her voice a smooth, confident purr.
-They might not be enough to stop them, Jellal,- Ultear's voice echoed in my head.
It doesn't matter whether or not they succeed in their task, they just need to buy enough time for me to recover in the healing chamber.
Once I had recovered my strength, I would deal with any opposition left.
