Crimson Illusion || Fairy Tail [✔️]

🍃Chapter Twenty-Two🍃Hey, I'm your Dad! Now die.🍃

"Mikami, Gryfin, you two go with Aren. Owan, Kasai, head down that tunnel."

"What about you?" Kasai grabbed my wrist as I made to dart down the last tunnel. We had followed the first passage down until this room. Three identical tunnels led off in different directions. So far, there was no opposition.

I took his hand briefly, "I'll be fine."

Twisting away, I sprinted into the darkness of the third tunnels, ignoring Kasai's shout behind me.

"Cindy, hang tight. We're coming to get you..." I sent telepathically, hoping that the Fire Mage would hear it, wherever she was. I slowed my pace to a fast walk. The air down here was thick, and musty. I wrinkled my nose as my hand brushed over a slimy substance of the dirt walls. Probably a worm. Hope I don't get worn rabies. That probably isn't a thing.

The lack of enemy wizards was disconcerting. Have we come down into the wrong base? I held up a hand and waved it in front of my face. I could barely see it.

"That can't be a good sign..." I deadpanned to myself, letting my hand drop down again as I continued down the tunnel. I froze. A scuffling noise was growing louder by the second.

"Hurry! Someone opened the lion entrance!" Someone hissed.

"Yeah, I know! Let's just go close it!" Retorted a second, unfamiliar, voice, "It was probably just Darrel being an idiot again, though."

I flattened myself against the moist wall just in time. A pair of figure blundered past, still bickering. I waited a full three minutes, heart pounding, then moved on, slower this time. A pinprick of light pierced the darkness ahead like a knife. I edged forward. A voice.

The light expanded into a large room as I poked my head around the corner. It was well-lit, unlike the tunnels everywhere else. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but when they did, there, in the center of the room, crouched Cindy. A wave of anger exploded within me. She was covered in bruises, and her hands were bound roughly behind her back. A huge man stood over her, talking confidently. I couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but at this point, I honestly didn't care. All that mattered right now was getting Cindy out of here. I narrowed my eyes at the man.

"Time to die, A-Hole," I whispered, then threw myself into the room. Looking back in it, I realised that this was probably the worst decision I've ever made in my entire life, as I was immediately ambushed by several Viper Strike wizards waiting inside the entrance, just out of sight.

"KLRKQRUEPREOBITBNOPQEBINQEROIGIP!" Was probably the closest to what I yelled as my face was roughly shoved into the dirt.

"Heh, we got one!" Exclaimed a voice above me.

"Say that again, I frickin' dare you," I hissed, spitting dirt out of my mouth. Hands clamped down on my arms and ankles, holding me in place. A shame, really, considering I was about to kick one of the Viper Strike wizards in a place where no light ever shines.

"Lillie..." Cindy groaned. I wriggled around as best I could to meet my best friend's gaze. Tears were streaming down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"What did I tell you?" Boomed the large man, laughing nastily, "Her little guild mates came to rescue her! And if I'm not mistaken, this is little Cindy's closest friend!"

"LET HER GO!" I shouted, struggling. The man chuckled.

"Aww, how touching!"

"Once I get these restraints off, I'm going to make sure you never see the lights of day again..." Cindy growled in a deadly quiet tone to the man.

He put on a look of mock-horror, "Now then, is that any way to talk to your father?"

I stopped struggling, dumb-struck. Cindy glared daggers up at the man. Now that I looked closer, they did have the same eyes.

"I don't care who you are!" Cindy snapped, trying her best to headbutt the man. He planted a swift kick in her side, knocking her back to the ground.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I yelled.

"Tch. We've already had our little chat," The man sighed dismissively, tugging a short, glinting dagger from his belt, "I have no further use for either of you pesky girls."

He nodded at someone over my head, and flicked a careless finger at me, "You may dispose of that one now. I will deal with my troublesome daughter."

"NO-" Cindy began, but her father swiftly kicked her leg, causing the dark-haired girl to topple over again.

I felt the hands that had gripping my right arm loosen, then leave my arm completely. I launched myself sideways, which probably saved my life. The knife-dagger thing that was meant for the small of my back instead slashed into my side. A blossom of agony exploded through the wound, and I gasped in pain.

"That friGGEN HURT!" I screeched, "Storm Phoenix's Wing Slash!"

Luckily, this attack threw my attackers of into a wall. I wrapped a hand around my wounded side as I stumbled towards Cindy and her father. A warm, sticky substance leaked between my fingers, and the edges of my vision dimmed. As if through a haze, I saw the man raise his dagger over Cindy, one foot planted firmly on her back to prevent her escape.

"I thought I told you to LET HER GO. STORM PHOENIX'S SECRET ART; ZEPHYR EXPLOSION."

Cindy's father was enveloped in wind and rain, lifting him off of the ground.

"Stage two..." I muttered. The wind exploded. The man tumbled to the ground. My knees gave way and I sat down heavily.

"I hate you," I told the shining silver dagger lying on the ground where the man had dropped it moments before. The dagger, being a dagger, didn't respond.

"Lil'! I swear, if you ever pull something like that again..!" Cindy fumed, then carried on to call me some very unpleasant names.

"Pull what? Coming to save you?" I grumbled, closing my eyes in a failed attempt to block out the pain in my side, "We'll leave you with a bunch of creeps next time, then."

"Thanks for coming back for me," Cindy's murmured eventually, voice cracking, "You risked your life to save me..."

"I'd be a pretty pathetic Guild Master AND friend if I didn't come to find you," I tried for a weak smile, but only really succeeded in a pained grimace. Cindy seemed to notice that my side was exhaling an amount of blood that was probably not good for me.

"Let's just get out of here..." She sniffled, wiping away a stray tear from her dust-streaked face.

"Don't.. Think you've... Won... Just yet..." Came a croak from behind us. I turned to see Cindy's father clutching a small, metallic device. A light on it was flashing alarmingly.

"What is that?" I whispered.

"A bomb. The same kind we used to blow up that flying chunk of rock you wizards call a stadium! Once I press this button, everything will go haywire!" He let loose an insane laugh.

"Cindy, go! Just get out of here!" I gasped, shoving her ahead, "I'll only slow you down! Find the others and get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Cindy shouted, diving back towards me.

"There's no time-" I started.

With another outburst of insane laughter, Cindy's father brought his thumb down upon the button.