Firefall || Fairy Tail

25 : c o u n t d o w n

40 Minutes Until Solar Eclipse

Erza's red hair trailed behind her as she ran through the never-ending maze of halls. Her sword glistened in her armored fist as she pumped her arms. There had been no shortage of minions doing their rounds through the castle-like structure, but they had been no challenge for Titania. What they were doing was keeping her from her objectives, and that was something she didn't have time for.

'I have faith in them.' She reminded herself.

She burst into what looked like it was once a grand dining room. Immediately she pivoted, swinging her blade through the air. The metal rang as it blocked the small group of pebbles that had been flung toward her.

"It would have been best for everyone if they had just listened." Nikolai stood near the head of the table, one arm still raised from his attack. "Or you should have just stayed away."

"You shouldn't have kidnapped a member of Fairy Tail."

He shrugged, "It couldn't be helped. She was needed for the Master's plans."

Erza's grip tightened on her sword, "That doesn't just give you the right to take somebody."

"It doesn't matter." Nikolai reached down, casually picking up the rusted utensils that still lined the table. "Master Izai will soon realize his dream. There is nothing you can do to stop it now, because your futile attempt will stop here."

"Target Lock: Barrage."

The forks and knives shot from his hand toward the red-haired mage. Not hesitating, she rolled out of the way, but that just meant she had taken her eyes off her enemy.

Nikolai ran along the side of the table, his fingers brushing against the cutlery. With each touch, they began to float, following him as he loaded his arsenal.

Pausing, he directed his hand toward Erza again, "Target Lock: Barrage."

"Requip." There was a flash before Erza suddenly dashed around the room on her Flight Armor. She parried the utensils out of the air that she couldn't dodge, only a few managing to leave tiny knicks on her arms.

She shot forward, sword raised, but Nikolai didn't give her the time to strike back. He threw the two plates in front of him like frisbees, "Target Lock: Sensory Shot."

Preferring not to take the shrapnel from breaking the china, Erza easily darted to the side as she glowed. Her armor shifted to her Black Wing Armor as she raised her blade to skewer the smirking male before her. But why was he smirking?

That question was quickly answered when the two plates crashed into the red-haired mage's back with enough force to knock her forward. Keeping from going down, Erza used the momentum to flip forward off her hands.

"That magic of yours is interesting."

Nikolai continued to smirk, "Yours isn't anything to blink at either." He leaned forward, resting a hand on the table as his other twirled a plate on his finger. He hated to admit that he was having a tiny bit of fun. He should have just picked her and the other intruders off with his magic, but he had hesitated when the others had arrived. There was no way these pests could stop Master Izai's plan now, so what would it hurt if he killed time by stretching his magic. It had been so long since anyone lasted long enough for him to really utilize it properly.

"Target Lock: Straight Shot."

Erza readied herself for the plate he was twirling, but that wasn't what moved. A look of surprise crossed her face as she watched the table itself lift from the floor, sailing right for her.